


Treachery of the Highest Order

by LoserLife592



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Author Zuko AU, Crack, Gen, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, the word fuck is used more than I expected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:08:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22351558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoserLife592/pseuds/LoserLife592
Summary: Sometimes life is unfair. Sometimes the universe likes to kick you when you're down. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.But there a still lines that need to be drawn. And this? This is beyond that line.(or, You Think You Know A Guy)
Relationships: the gaang - Relationship
Comments: 80
Kudos: 2987





	Treachery of the Highest Order

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aloneintherain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aloneintherain/gifts).
  * Inspired by [letter to the editor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20014126) by [aloneintherain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aloneintherain/pseuds/aloneintherain). 



“ _YOU’RE DANTE BASCO?!_ ” The screech echoes throughout the palace. Servants and guards alike all pause momentarily. It lasts barely a second before they carry on, uncaring and used to it.

In the palace gardens, Sokka is 5 seconds away from screaming endlessly into the cruel, uncaring void of the universe. It is the only way he can think to process the information that has just been accidentally given to him.

Across from him, Zuko looks exactly 1 second away from running away. Zuko, who is a powerful bender, master swordsman, virtual ninja, leader of an _entire nation_ , and. Sokka’s favourite fictional author. _Apparently?_

Life isn’t fair.

“Uh,” Aang’s expression is sheepish. “Sorry?” He looks between the two of them, obviously unsure of who he should be offering the apology to.

Toph, from her spot sitting and reclining under a tree near by, snorts. She’s grinning and very obviously enjoying Sokka’s suffering. Beside her, Suki at least has the grace to mostly mask her amusement.

Katara, who has never once spared Sokka feelings on anything, rolls her eyes and says, “It’s been years, Sokka. How are you _just_ figuring this out?” She’s being gracious. ‘ _Figuring it out_ ’. As if Sokka wasn’t just minding his business, reading the newest novel from his _favourite author_ , when Aang—sweet, naïve, _stupid_ Aang—just barreled in and said, “Hey did you get Zuko to sign that for you yet? I made him sign mine as soon as I got it.”

Sokka had furrowed his brows, confused. “Why would Zuko sign my book?” he’d asked. Then he’d caught sight of Zuko’s face; pinched and red up to the tips of his ears. He’d looked like he’d been caught in the act of doing something scandalous.

Then horror had spread throughout Sokka’s entire being. Pieces clicking together to form a terrible, awful picture. He’d shot up to his feet, finger pointed and shriek on his tongue.

And now here they were.

Sokka wheeled around to face his family. “You knew?” he whispered, soft and betrayed. Broken. “You all knew and let me continue to live this _lie_?”

Toph, indelicate and crass with not a single shred of hesitancy, says, “We had bets on how long it would take you to puzzle it out. My guess was Twinkle Toes spilling the beans.” Then she turns to Suki, “I win, by the way.” Suki rolls her eyes.

Zuko chokes. “You made _bets_?”

Aang looks hurt. “How come no one told there was a bet?”

Katara places a hand on his arm, comforting and sympathetic. “Well—” she starts.

“It’s ‘cause you can’t keep a secret for shit.” Toph interrupts. Katara’s eye twitches.

“I can too!” Aang immediately rebuffs. “I never told anyone that Zuko is the Blue Spirit!” It takes him a second for what he just said to catch up to him. Then he looks sheepish and apologetic again.

Sokka wheels back around to face Zuko. “ _YOU’RE THE BLUE SPIRIT?!_ ”

(Off in the distant, the entirety of the palace pauses once again. They all collectively blink. _That_ they hadn’t known).

“Huh,” Toph says.

Suki eyes Zuko for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Katara just looks stunned. Finally, someone else _understands_.

Zuko just looks constipated. “You’re going to kill me,” he says, tone grave and expression solemn, “You’re going to kill me and the Fire Nation will be left without a sovereign. Everything will plunge into anarchy and civil war and it will be all of your faults. Is that what you want? Is that what you assholes fucking want?”

Sokka sucks in a breath. A light of comprehension shines on him. The world keeps spinning and a wave of calm awareness washes over him.

“Oh, of course you’re Dante Basco,” he sighs, steepled fingers coming up to rest on his chin, “You’re a fucking _theatre nerd_.”

Zuko, the dramatic fucker, glowers and says, “I can declare you an enemy of state.”

“ _You’re_ the _Blue Spirit_?” Katara questions. Zuko lets out the longest, deepest sigh that Sokka has ever heard.

Not to long later, after they’ve all sat back down and calmed down a bit, Sokka drops his book again. There is a look of intense self-reflection on his face. “Tui and La,” he whispers, “How did I not figure it out sooner. All your main characters have _daddy issues_.”

There is a moment of pure, stunned silence following those words. No one moves, hardly even dares to breathe.

Then Suki chokes, hunching in on herself as she wheezes. “ _Oh my spirits, he fucking said it._ ”

Aang is the only one not laughing too hard so he, by default, is the only one that stops Zuko from successfully drowning Sokka in the turtleduck pond.


End file.
